1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to air cargo containers and more particularly to structure which avoids problems which have herefore arisen.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various containers have heretofore been proposed specifically for moving cargo by air transport or which are capable of use for such purposes. Among these are the following U.S. Patents, Combs et al., No. 3,044,656; Tantlinger, No. 3,085,707; Russell-French, No. 3,647,100; Carr, No. 3,834,575; Barnes et al., No. 3,968,895; Meller et al., No. 4,008,936; and Dougherty, No. 4,057,170.
In cargo containers, also, it has been proposed to provide hold-down or restraint pockets along the lower side rails of the container for engagement by hold-down or restraint levers pivotally mounted on vertical axes carried on the floor in the cargo space of the plane, as shown by Tantlinger, U.S. Pat. No. 3,085,707. Pedraza, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,700, shows slots 30 with inserted fingers 29 for which no purpose is stated but which with the fingers 29 removed could serve for that purpose.
Repeated use of the container results in damage to the vertical side walls of the pockets, at the entrance and no satisfactory provisions have heretofore been made for quick or easy repair at the damaged locations.
It has also been common practice to provide spaced fork lift pockets along the side rails of the containers. Examples are to be found in U.S. Patents as follows: Bertolini et al., No. 3,004,682; Fesmire, No. 3,015,407; Fesmire et al., No. 3,061,134; Morrison et al., No. 3,561,633; Dougherty, No. 3,910,446; Barnes et al., No. 3,968,895; and Clive-Smith, No. 4,162,737. The British Pat. No. 1,343,899 to Ministerium fur Verkehrswesen, shows but does not identify such pockets and Australian Pat. No. 238,796, to Holyman shows such a fork lift pocket with side guides for fork introduction. Fesmire et al., No. 3,061,134 show top and side guides for fork introduction.
Serious difficulties have been encountered by reason of careless fork lift truck operators penetrating the side walls of containers and the like or approaching fork lift pockets at an angle.
Repeated use of the containers heretofore available also results in wear along the vertical side walls of the fork lift pockets. No satisfactory provisions have heretofore been made for protecting the side walls of the containers or for quick and easy repair at the entrance to the fork lift pocket.
The patents heretofore referred to show various floor constructions but do not suggest the multiple layer flat bottom lower floor for an air cargo container of the present invention and in which the planking of the upper floor extends uninterrupted for its entire length and is interlocked to resist side loads.